Feeding stimulators for fishes and shellfishes, and feed

Abstract

The present invention provides a feeding stimulator for fishes and shellfishes, selected from the group consisting of dimethyl-β-propiothetin and certain compounds related thereto or salts thereof, and a feed to which this feeding stimulator has been added. The above feeding stimulator has the action of stimulating gustatory sense or olfactory sense of fishes or shellfishes to promote their appetites. Hence, employment of a feed to which this feeding stimulator has been added enables enhancement of feed efficiency in aquaculture or the like of fishes and shellfishes. Also, even when a substitute feed available in a low cost is used, it becomes possible to maintain the same feed efficiency as the mixed feeds in which raw feeds and fish powder are used.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A feed composition for fishes and shellfishes, consisting essentially of (i) a feed component selected from the group consisting of a synthetic feed, a semi-natural feed and a wholly natural feed for fish or shellfish and   (ii) an effective amount of at least one feeding stimulator selected from the compounds, or salts thereof, represented respectively by the following formulas (I) to (III): ##STR16##  wherein R 1  and R 2  are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a mercapto group, an amino group or an alkyloxy group; X -  represents a monovalent anion; and an is an integer of 1 to 5; ##STR17##  wherein R 1  and R 2  are each analkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, X -  is the same as defined above; R 3  represents a group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 2 carbon atoms, an amino group, a methoxy group and a mercapto group and m 1  and m 2  are each 0 to 2; ##STR18##  wherein R" 1  and R" 2  are each analkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, X -  is the same as defined above, n 1  is zero or 1 and R 4  is a group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an amino group, an alkyloxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a mercapto group and a carbamoyl group.   
     
     
       2. A feed composition for fishes and shellfishes, consisting essentially of (i) a feed component selected form the group consisting of a synthetic feed, a semi-natural feed and a wholly natural feed for fish or shellfish and   (ii) an effective amount of at least one feeding stimulator selected from the compounds, or salts thereof, represented respectively by the following formulas (I) and (II): ##STR19##  wherein R 1  and r 2  are each an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, n is 1 to 5 and X -  is a monovalent anion; ##STR20##  wherein R' 1  and R' 2  are each alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, X -  is a monovalent anion, R 3  is a an alkyl group having 1 to 2 carbon atoms and m 1  and m 2  are each 0 to 2.   
     
     
       3. A feeding composition for fishes and shellfishes consisting essentially of (i) a feed component selected from the group consisting of a synthetic feed, a semi-natural feed and a wholly natural feed for fish or shellfish and   (ii) an effective amount of at least one feed stimulator selected from the group consisting of dimethyl-β-propiothetin, dimethylthetin, carboxymethyldiethylsulfonium, carboxymethyldipropylsulfonium, carboxymethyldibutylsulfonium, carboxymethyldipentylsulfonium, carboxypropyldimethylsulfonium, carboxybutyldimethylsulfonium, carboxypentyldimethylsulfonium, carboxymethylmethyldimethylsulfonium, carboxyethyldiethylsulfonium, carboxyethyldipropylsulfonium, carboxy-1-methylethyl-dimethylsulfonium, carboxy-2-methylethyldimethylsulfonium, carboxy-1-methylpropyldimethylsulfonium, carboxy-2-methylpropyldimethylsulfonium, carboxy-3-methylpropyldimethylsulfonium, carboxy-2-ethylpropyldimethylsulfonium, and salts thereof.   
     
     
       4. The feed composition according to claim 1, wherein R' 1 , R' 2 , R" 1  and R" 2  are an alkyl group having one carbon atoms or a methoxy group and R 4  is an alkyl group having one or four carbon atoms. 
     
     
       5. The feed composition according to claim 1, wherein the feed stimulator is a compound selected from the group consisting of carboxymethysulfonium, carboxymethyldiaminosulfonium, carboxymethyldimethoxysulfonium, carboxymethylmethylmercaptosulfonium, 3-carboxy-2-aminopropyldimethylsulfonium, 3-carboxy-2-methoxypropyldimethylsulfonium, 3-carboxy-2-mercaptopropyldimethylsulfonium, 2-trimethylethyldimethylsulfonium, aminomethyldimethylsulfonium, aminocarboxymethyldimethylsulfonium, ethylcarboxymethyldimethylsulfonium, emrcaptomethyldimethylsulfonium, aminodimethylsulfonium, methoxydimethylsulfonium, trimethyulsulfonium, mercaptodimethylsulfonium, and salts thereof. 
     
     
       6. The feed composition of claim 1 wherein the feeding stimulator is a compound of Formula (I) or salt thereof. 
     
     
       7. The feed composition of claim 6 wherein the compound of Formula (I) is carboxymethyldimethylsulfonium or carboxyethyldimethylsulfonium. 
     
     
       8. The feed composition according to claim 1, which was obtained by adding an aqueous solution containing 10 -10  to 10 -1  M of said feeding stimulator to said at least one feed component (i). 
     
     
       9. The feed composition according to claim 2, which was obtained by adding an aqueous solution containing 10 -10  to 10 -1  M of said feeding stimulator to said at least one feed component (i). 
     
     
       10. The feed composition according to claim 1, wherein said at least one feeding stimulator (ii) is in an amount of from 9.0×10 -7  to 3.0×10 5  ppm based on the total of said feed composition. 
     
     
       11. The feed composition according to claim 1, wherein said at least one feeding stimulator (ii) is in an amount of from 1.08 ×10 -5  to 1.08×10 -4  ppm based on the total of said feed composition. 
     
     
       12. The feed composition according to claim 2, wherein said at least one feeding stimulator (ii) is in an amount of from 1.08×10 -5  to 1.08×10 -4  ppm based on the total of said feed composition. 
     
     
       13. The feed composition of claim 11 wherein said at least one feed component (i) is a cellulosic powder. 
     
     
       14. The feed composition of claim 12 wherein said at least one feed component (i) is a cellulosic powder. 
     
     
       15. The feed composition of claim 13 wherein said at least one feed component (i) is a cellulosic powder. 
     
     
       16. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 1 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       17. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 2 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       18. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 3 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       19. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 8 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       20. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 9 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       21. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 10 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       22. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 11 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       23. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 12 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       24. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 13 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       25. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 14 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       26. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 15 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       27. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the feeding stimulator is carboxymethyldimethylsulfonium and the feed component is a cellulosic powder. 
     
     
       28. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 27 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       29. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the feeding stimulator is carboxyethyldimethylsulfonium and the feed component is a cellulosic powder. 
     
     
       30. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 29 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       31. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the feeding stimulator is selected from the group consisting of dimethylthetin, dimethyl-beta-propiothetin, carboxymethyldiethylsulfonium, carboxymethyldipropylsulfonium, carboxyethyldiethylsulfonium, carboxyethyldipropylsulfonium, carboxymethyldibutylsulfonium, carboxymethyldipentylsulfonium, carboxypropyldimethylsulfonium, carboxybutyldimethylsulfonium, carboxypentyldimethylsulfonium, carboxymethysulfonium, carboxymethyldiaminosulfonium, carboxymethyldimethoxysulfonium, carboxymethylmethylmercaptosulfonium and salts thereof. 
     
     
       32. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 31 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes. 
     
     
       33. The feed composition of claim 1, wherein the feeding stimulator is dimethyl-β-propiothetin. 
     
     
       34. A method of feeding at least one of fishes and shellfishes by providing the feed composition according to claim 33 to a site containing said at least one of fishes and shellfishes.